The Must Have Kitchen Tools I Use

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To me, there’s nothing worse than bad kitchen tools. Some cooking utensils don’t work, others don’t last, and then there are those that aren’t worth the investment. Coaching people on how to eat better one thing I typically discover is that their kitchens don’t have the tools to make the task easy. I’ve seen kitchens full of dull knives, warped pans, and cutting boards that are a disaster waiting to happen. These are the tools that I use in my kitchen and I have used for years without issue.

The Most Important Kitchen Tool! A Chef’s Knife

When you have a good kitchen knife, chopping vegetables no longer seems like an all-day daunting task. Instead, you can chop up sheet trays full of vegetables in minutes. Looking for a chef’s knife I did a little research for the best knife for the money spent and America’s Test Kitchen recommended the Victorinox brand. Victorinox is made by Swiss Army Knives, need I say more? Plus you can pick up a chef’s knife for about $40. I’ve had these 2 for years and I have zero complaints.

A Recipe For Your Knife:

Cauliflower Tabouli: Nightshade, Dairy, & Grain Free

Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife, 8-Inch Chef’s FFP

Price: $44.90

Victorinox 7 Inch Fibrox Pro Santoku Knife with Granton Blade

Price: $39.12

Pots and Pans

To me, there is nothing worse than buying pots and pans and having to replace them. I’m old school in that I want my kitchen tools to last. I want to buy it once and never have to replace it. We’ve all bought non-stick pans that lose their coating in a year. One year I bought a pretty expensive non-stick pan only to discover that it was ruined when I used heat that was too high… What??? Have you ever encountered wobbly stainless steel pans that are warped and dingy? I’ve been there. I have all of these pots and pans in my kitchen and I’ve had them for years; I wouldn’t recommend something that I haven’t used myself.

Stainless Steel Pots & Pans

I’ve had this Cuisinart set for decades. I bought them when I moved into my first apartment at the age of 22. I’m now 46 and I’ve never needed to replace them. I have scorched the saute pan a few times but I have always been able to clean it up with baking soda.

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Cuisinart 77-10 Chef’s Classic Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set

Price: $116.54
Was: $119.99

Non-Stick Pans

One of the biggest concerns with non-stick cookware is the VOCs that are released during the cooking process. Others have their coating flake off. Remember the high-dollar non-stick pan? The coating is discolored and Scanpan took its place.

UPDATE: I have two Scanpans and the finish is no longer intact. I should contact the company because I think they have a pretty good warranty. I simply haven’t because I’m enjoying my cast-iron too much.

If you ever watch cooking shows you’ll see them use metal utensils in a non-stick pan, they’re using a Scanpan. Although I still don’t use metal in my pans I know that I could. I’ve had them for years and the finish is still intact, no flakes, and taken from their website:

You can read more about their technology here and here.

jennifermichelle.co holistic wellness journals

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Scanpan CTQ Nonstick Skillet 69002804 , 11″

Price: $99.96
Was: $169.95

I Use Cast Iron Pans More Than Anything Else

If you have a glass top stove you likely won’t be able to use an uncoated cast iron pan because it can scratch the surface. Even if that were the case for me I’d still keep my cast iron for cooking outdoors while camping or in case SHTF and I have to cook outdoors. Lodge is the only brand I own, not saying there is anything wrong with other brands, I simply haven’t tried them. If you can find a cast iron pan at a yard sale or have one handed down to you that has been taken care of, it’s gold because it’s well seasoned. A well-seasoned cast iron pan is one of the best kitchen tools you can own. Even if it isn’t in the best condition you can bring it back to life; they’re nearly indestructible.

A coating of oil and baking them in the oven turned upside down (with a baking sheet on the shelf below) is the first step in reviving them. From there you never want to use soap on them. Simply scrape and/or brush your pot/pan with hot water and let it dry. When it’s dry apply a thin coating of oil with a towel or cloth.

There are all sorts of shapes and sizes of cast iron pans and you can find them locally at sporting goods stores like Cabelas.

I bought a coated cast iron pot to cook things that react with iron, acidic things. If you’re going to cook something quickly in cast iron that is acidic then you likely won’t notice a metallic taste. However, if you’re going to let a soup or stew simmer for a few hours I prefer the coated cast iron. I can taste a difference. There are more expensive coated cast iron pots and I don’t know if they’re better than my Lodge. I’ve had mine for a number of years without issue and at a fraction of the price, in some cases 90% less than other pots, I’ll stick with what I have.

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Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Island Spice Red

Price: $49.99
Was: $54.47

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Lodge L8SK3 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet

Price: $11.32
Was: $26.68

Water Filtration

At Paleo f(x) 2017 I hear something that simply made sense. Before chasing supplements and special treatments make sure your diet, water, and sleep are dialed in. For me I began to notice that the filtered water from our refrigerator didn’t sit well with me when I drank it. I can’t really explain it other than it kind of hurt/irritated/generally made my stomach not feel well.

Researching water filtration reverse osmosis will get it done but it removes all of the beneficial minerals. Then I discovered 2 systems that remove all of the junk but leave the beneficial minerals behind. Berkey and Aquagear were the two brands that would do what I was looking for. I opted for the Aquagear because I don’t have counter space for a Berkey and the initial cost was significantly less.

Over time I’m not sure which ends up being cheaper. The Aquagear filters are $50 to replace. However, if you subscribe on their website they’ll send you a replacement filter for $40 every 6 months. I’ve had my pitcher for a few years. Unlike other pitchers it removes contaminants rather than simply reducing them. Do I notice a difference? Absolutely! The water is delicious and it doesn’t upset my stomach. What does it remove? 2,000% more than a Brita pitcher

After many years of testing, we have proven that Aquagear is the industry leader when removing harmful contaminants commonly found in municipal tap water like chlorine (99.99%), lead (97.5%), fluoride (90%), mercury (99.6%), trihalomethanes (99.99%) DDT (98.8%), Chromium-6 (99.87%). Aquagear’s published removals for water contaminants are based on composite results from multiple lab tests.

You can view their testing certificates here. Also taken from their FAQ section:

The AquaGear Tap Water Filter removes up to 99.99% of tap water contaminants. This includes fluoride, chlorine, pesticides, trace pharmaceuticals, and other known menaces of municipal tap water. The straw’s patented filtration technology meets and exceeds NSF Standards 42 and 53 for contaminant reduction. This means that it is certified to make water odorless and fresh-tasting, as well as remove a variety of health-related contaminants like VOCs and MTBEs. Better still, it does all this without removing health-essential minerals from the water.

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Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher – Fluoride, Lead, Chloramine, Chromium-6 Filter – BPA-Free, Clear

Price: $69.95
Was: $71.95

Big Berkey Water Filter System With 2 9-Inch White Ceramic Filters and 2 PF-4 Fluoride Filters

Price: $219.99

Instant Pot

What I love about this pot is that it’s a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, warmer, and you can even saute in the pot. To save storage space in your kitchen you can replace several appliances with 1.

I use the pressure setting more than any other. In 9-10 minutes you can cook dense vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash. Less dense vegetables cook in minutes. When I make stew I cook the meat for 45 minutes and add the vegetables for a few minutes at the end. You can have a tender roast in an hour! It’s a huge time saver and one of my favorite kitchen tools.

My Recipes for the IP:
Herbes de Provence Beef Stew

Easy Instant Pot Paleo Beef Stew

Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

Price: $129.99

Cutting Boards

I have a large wooden cutting block but to me, it’s a high maintenance piece of equipment. If you cut onions or garlic then you have to scrub the board with salt and lemon to remove the odors. You can’t put it in the dishwasher, you have to keep raw meat away from it, and occasionally rub it with a board conditioner to keep it from drying out. Mine was locally made, it’s beautiful, but I primarily use it to hold other cutting boards because it makes the countertop taller for me. I like cutting boards that are easy to store, use, clean, and don’t slide around. If you need extra security under your board place a wet washcloth or paper towel under your cutting board to keep it from sliding around.

Sur La Table Large Non-Skid Cutting Mats HH3021PP , Set of 4, 9.75″ x 13.25″

Price: $19.95